Will George Zimmerman Face The Full Brunt Of The Second Degree Murder Charge?

After the public outcry and media attention garnered by way of the tragic shooting case of Trayvon Martin, 17, at the hands of 28-year-old George Zimmerman, much has been made of the formal charges that have been filed by prosecutor Angela Corey against the armed neighborhood watch volunteer.

Experts from around the country, including former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown, weighed in on the case and offered a varying opinion about the length of time Zimmerman can potentially face. News One takes a look at what steps were taken to charge Zimmerman, using reports from around the Web to form a solid basis.

First, Corey had to file what’s known as an “information,” also known as a “formal criminal charge,” a document which lists the charges of second degree murder against Zimmerman. Following this step, the prosecution then moved to present the case to a judge in order to discover if there was probable cause. Like many other cases involving probable cause laws in the country, Florida rules simply state that the evidence presented shows there is “reasonable ground of suspicion” that an arrest can be made.

Shortly after charges were filed, Corey and her team moved to have Zimmerman arrested, as witnessed by the nation at her press conference Wednesday. From there, the process moves quickly as Zimmerman was granted a “first appearance,” where he will hear the formal charges; Zimmerman intends to plead “not guilty” to the charges. As news reports have shown, Zimmerman will be held with no bond set until his May 29 arraignment where he can formally make his plea.